Annularly resilient, conically shaped component

ABSTRACT

An annularly resilient component used as a cup spring or the like has inner and outer walls of conical configuration and an annular inner and outer rim. A tab extends generally radially from one of the rims. A wall portion disposed generally at the transitional area between the tab and the rim extends generally transversely of the tab, such wall portion forming an annular continuation of the rim, thereby providing a reduction in stress concentration and prolonging the usable life of such component.

i United States Patent [191 Maucher et al.

[ Feb. 25, 1975 ANNULARLY RESILIENT, CONICALLY SHAPED COMPONENT [75]Inventors: Paul Maucher, Sasbach; Fritz Lob,

Buhl, Baden, both of Germany [73] Assignee: LuK Lamellen undKupplungsbau G.m.b.l-l., Buhl, Baden, Germany 22 Filed: Sept. 25, 1972[21 1' Appl. No.: 292,070

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 25, 1971 Germany 2148043[52] US. Cl. 267/161 [51] Int. Cl. Fl6f 1/34 [58] Field of Search267/161, 160, 162, 164, 267/165 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,565108 8/1951 Zahadiakin 267/162 3,098,643 7/1963 Ondrejka267/165 3,483,888 12/1969 Wurzel 267/161 3,536,315 10/1970 .lenkin267/160 Primary Examiner-Robert J, Spar Assistant ExaminerKenneth NolandAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Herbert L. Lerner [57] ABSTRACT An annularlyresilient component used as a cup spring or the like has inner and outerwalls of conical configuration and an annular inner and outer rim. A tabextends generally radially from one of the rims. A wall portion disposedgenerally at the transitional area between the tab and the rim extendsgenerally transversely of the tab, such wall portion forming an annularcontinuation of the rim, thereby providing a reduction in stressconcentration and prolonging the usable life of such component.

15 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED B25195 3,868,099

sum 2 3 3 ANNULARLY RESILIENT, CONICALLY SHAPED COMPONENT The inventionrelates to an annular resilient, conically shaped component and moreparticularly, to a plate or cup spring provided with extensions or tabsprotruding beyond the annular body.

Cup springs of the type in which tabs are provided weather in the formof arms extending beyond the outer peripheral surface and/or extensions,tongues or the like provided at the inner of the annular body are neededfor various applications. The tabs or arms are provided for thetransmission of torque. to provide for the correct positioning of thecup springs, to provide for the transmission of motion or forces,respectively, arising when they are pushed through, as supports, aslevers, as well as for performing other tasks.

Particularly in the case of alternating stress or varya ing and changingdegrees of applied forces, these cup springs are extremely prone tobreakage, whereby their utility is limited in that apparatus equippedwith such cup springs frequently fail prematurely.

It is an object of the present invention to' increase the useful life ofcupsprings of the type mentioned above, and in particular, to increasethe number of permissible alternating-stress cycles before failure, toreduce the danger of breakage, and to open up new fields of applicationfor such cup springs.

It is recognized that fracturesfrequently occur when cup springs arestressed at the transition of the circular base body of the cup springand the extensions such as the tabs, arms, tongues or the like. At thesetransitional regions, areas of high stress concentrations are set up atcorners such as at notches or the like and the adverse influence causedby the effect of notches and the like is largely eliminated if thesestresses are reduced in the transition region.

According to the invention, the latter is achieved by providing achamfer or indentation at the conical inner side of a cup spring, suchchamfer or indentation extending, at least approximately, into thetransitional region of the annular body of the cup spring and the taband extending generally transversely to the tab.

By using a chamfer or indentation which may be provided in the form of acrease, embossment or reduction in cross section of the material, theadverse influence caused by the effects of notches and the like islargely eliminated at the transitional region by the reduction of thetensile stresses occurring due to the varying degree of applied forces,and the tendency for breakage is thereby decreased, whereby the usefullife of such cup springs is several times longer than in those knownheretofore.

ln forming a chamfer or indentation by providing a reduction of crosssectional thickness, it may be advisable in cases where tabs protrudebeyond the inner or outer periphery of the annular body of the cupspring, if the reduction of the cross sectional thickness occurstransversely of the tab and over the entire width of the tab, forinstance, in the form of a taper which can run out as a bevel in theregion of the annular body of the cup ring.

It has been found that a chamfer or indentation may be advantageouslyformed by a reduction of the cross sectional thickness as a cut ornotch. it is preferred in this connection if the depth of the cut ornotch is between l/l and and preferablyin the range of V4 to /2, of thethickness of the material in which the cut or notchi's made within theseranges the optimum compromise between the requirement for optimalremaining strength of the tabs and the useful life of the cup springs isobtained.

The cut which may have a configuration which is triangular,semicircular, elliptical or of some other shape, may be located so thatthe area of greatest reduction of cross sectional area occurs at thecontinuation of the peripheral contour of the circular cup spring body.ln the case of tabs which extend radially outwardly, the notch or thecut may run along the continuation of the circular outer contour of thecup spring. In the case of radially inwardly directed tabs, for instancecup spring tongues, the notch or the cut runs at least approximatelyalong the continuation of the inner contour of the circular base body ofthe cup spring, that is, at least approximately in the region of thetransition of the body of the cup spring to the tongues of the cupspring.

In some cases it may, however, be advantageous if the region of thegreatest cross section reduction is shifted radially relative to thecontinuations of the outer or inner contour, respectively, of thecircular base body in the direction towards the ends of the tabs, armsor tongues.

The configuration of the cut or notch may, however. be in the form ofastraight line, that is, the cut may extend, for example, as a tangent orcord to the circular body of the cup spring.

According to a further feature of the invention the areas of thechamfers or indentation facing the annular body may run out into a bevelalong the surface forming a part of the circular body of the cup spring.With the straight-line or tangential arrangement of the chamfer orindentation, for instance, in the form of a cut or the like, theradially inner surface of the chamfer may run into a tangential orcord-like bevel of the outer rim of the cup spring, particularly in thecase of radially outwardly extending tabs.

The chamfer or indentation in the form of a crease can be made, forinstance, by a stamping operation, while the chamfer in the form of acut, embossment, notch or the like, which is formed by reducing thecross section of the material, can be produced by turning or othermachining operation or by material displacement, for instance, bystamping or striking.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the inventionare set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as relatingto specific embodiments, it is nevertheless not intended to be limitedto' the details shown, since various modifications and structuralchanges may be made therein without departing from the spirit of theinvention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and arrangement of the invention, however, togetherwith additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understoodfrom the follow ing description of specific embodiments when read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a conical cup spring according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on a larger scale taken along the line ll--llin FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view corresponding to the corsssectional view ofH6. 2 but relating to-an alternate embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a partial bottom view of aconical cup spring 7 according toanother alternate embodiment.

' FIG. 5 is a sectiona'lview corresponding to the cross sectional viewofFIG. 2 but relating to a further alternate embodiment. V

FIG. 6 is a sectional view corresponding to the crosssectional viewofFIG. 2 but relating to yet another alternate embodiment. V Referring tothe drawings, allof the bodiments disclose cup springs which haveextensions or tabs extending generally radially outwardly beyond theouter periphery thereof while the embodiements of FIGS. 1 and 2 and ofFIGL} disclose cup, springs that also have extensions or tabs extendingradially'inwardly.

illustrated em;

FIG. 1 shows a cup spring 1 having an annular body 2 and two extensionsor tabs 4,5 extending beyond the circular outer periphery 3 of theannular body 2. Thecup spring I has a conical shape and FIG. 1 shows thecup spring I it appears from the underside of its conical configuration.ltwill be seen in the drawings that the inner conical surface 2 of thecup spring 1 is chamfered or indented, thatis cut away portions or cuts6, 7 are provided which extend transversely to each of the tabs4, 5. Thecut away portions 6, 7 are formed by machining or otherwise removingmaterial from the cup spring body 2 or by striking or other formingmethods.

In the embodiment of FIGSLI'and 2, the depthof the cut away portions 6,7 are each about 1/3 of the thick- I ness of the material existing atthepoint of the cut away portion. As will further be seen in FIG..2., theregion of the greatest reduction of the cross-section is indicated at 8and this region'is generally aligned with theregion" of the greatestdepth of cut indicated at 6' of the cut away portion .6. Also it will beseen that the inner sec- In the exampleofthe alternate embodimentaccord-. ing to FIG. 3 it will beseen that the region ofthegreatestreduction of cross section indicatedby the dashed line 8a isshifted and disposed radially outwardly of'the dashed line 3a wh ichindicates the shape and contour of the outer periphery 3 of thecupspring. Similarly, the region of the greatest depth of cut 6a' oflthe.cut 6alis shifted radially relative to the'outer rim of the cup spring.It will be seen in FIG. Sthatfrom the intersecand contourof the innerperiphery 17 of the cup spring. Similarly, the region of the greatestdepth of cut 14a of the cut 14a is shifted radially relative to theinner rim 7 of the cup spring. lt will be seen that from theintersectionof the line l7a with theradially outer contourl8a of the cut 14a on, theportion 20a of the radially outer contour 18a of the cut 14a is alignedwith and forms a continuation of th'ebevel 20a whichcontinuesover thecircular inner. surface of the inner rim of the cup spring. FIG. 4 showsanother alternate embodimentof the invention, wherein a cut 6b, whichmay have a cross sectional shape similar to that shownin FIGS. 2 or 3ex-.

tendsalso on the conical inner sideZ? ofthe'cup spring 7 1 at leastapproximately the region ofthe continua tion 9 of the cut away portion'6is aligned with and.

. forms a continuation of the outer rim 3 of the cup.

7 spring. r g

is constructed and arranged m a similar The tab manner havingits'greatest reduction of cross-section V 7 indicated at 8 and thegreatest depth of the cut away portion indicated at 7f. Thus it willbeseen that the 4 inner section 9 if the two cut away portions 6, 7 forma continuation of the bevel 10 over the circular outer rim3 of the cupspring.

' As maybe desired, inner extensions or tabsll and 12 may alsoprovidedon the inner periphery of the cup spring. The tabs 11 and 12 maybeiprovided with'vari ous cup spring tongues 13 indicated by brokenlines. The tabs ll, 12 have cuts or cut away portions 14, 15

respectively extending transversely there-acrossiThe cut away portionsl4, 15 may be formed by machining or otherwise removing material fromthe cup spring body 2 or by striking or other forming methods.

The region of the greatest reduction of the cross section is indicatedat 16 and this region is generally aligned with the region of thegreatest depth of cut 14''. Also it will be seen that the section 18 ofthe cut away portion 14 is aligned with and forms a continuation of theinner rim 20 of the cup spring.

The inner tab 12 is constructed and arranged in a similar manner havingits greatest reduction of cross section generally aligned with theregion of the greatest depth of cut of the cut away portion 15. It willbe. seen that the section 18 of the cut 14 and the corresponding tion31; of the surface, ofthe outerfcontour 3 transversely to the tab 4.1m"greatest. depth of the cut 61) which is indicated at 6b is generallyaligned with the region of the greatest reduction of cross section indicated at 81) and runs as, a straight line .a'ndas a cord or. tangent,respectively; relative to theco'ntinuation 3bofthe outer contour or rim3. The radiallyinner region 9!) of thecut 6h runs out as acord llkeinclined surface at e I the contour of outer rim 3 at the outermostperiphery of the cup spring-and thus forms a bevel 10b.

- FIGS.,5 and 6 are crosssectional views ofcup springs which areprovided tabs4. r I V In the embodiment of. FIGS, a chamfer or bevel 60;extending transversely across the tab .4 has a radially with radiallyoutward extending inner region 9c intersecting theouter contour 3c ofthe cup spring}, and which continues over the outer pe. riphery ofthecup spring. The chamfer 6c is'provided 1 atthe conical inner sideZ' sothat a bevel l0c extends continuously over the outer contour of the cupspring In the embodiment of FIG. 6,. anindentation 6a is formed at leastapproximately in the transition region between the outer rim 3 of thecup spring and the tab 4. The outersurface of the rim 3 is indicated at3d. The.

radially inner area'of the indentation 9dextends as a continuation ofthe bevel 10d along the circular outer contour of the cup spring.

Inthe embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, radially inwardly extending tabs ortongues, respectively. similar section 19of the cut I5 form acontinuation of the V bevel 20 over the circular inner rim I7 of the cupbody.

to the arms 4 can also be provided with chamfers or indentations asshown in these Figures.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, as in the embodiments Y of FIGS. Ho 5, thetensile stresses occurring in the case of alternating applied forces orvarying applied forces are reduced at least generally in the transitionregion between the body of the cup spring and the tabs in the form ofarms or tongues, respectively, by the chamfer or indentation and theadverse influence of the effects of the cuts or cutaway portions islowered and the danger and likelihood of breakage is greatly decreased.

While the invention has been described by means of a specific exampleand in a specific embodiment, we do not wish to be limited thereto, forobvious modifications will occur to thoseskilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. An annular resilient component comprising an annular body memberhaving an inner and an outer wall surface of conical configuration andan annular inner and outer rim, andtab means extending from at least oneof said rims of said body member, said tab means and said body memberdefining therebetween a transitional region having a conical inner wallsurface portion wherein a chamfer extending transversely to said tabmeans is formed, said one of said rims defining part of said chamfer.

2. A component according to claim 1, wherein said chamfer is formed by areduction of the cross section of said transitional region.

3. A component according to claim 2, wherein the reduced cross-sectionof said transition region continues over the radial extent of said tabmeans such that said tab means gradually reduce in thickness in aradially inward direction.

4. A component according to claim 1, wherein said chamfer is defined byan undercut section of said body member at said transitional region.

5. A component according to claim 4, wherein a region of greatestreduced cross section of said transitional region forms a continuationof an annular contour of said body member.

6. A component according to claim 4, wherein a region of greatestreduced cross section of said transitional region is disposed radiallytowards the ends of said tab means relative to the continuation of saidannular contour of said body member.

7. A component according to claim 1, wherein, the depth of said chamferis w'ithin'the range of from 1/10 to 2/3 of the thickness of thematerial at said transitional region. I

8. An annularly resilient component comprising a body member having aninner and outer wall of conical configuration and an annular inner andouter rim, a tab extending generally radially from one of said rims.said component having a wall portion disposed generally at thetransitional area between said tab and said one rim and extendinggenerally transversely of said tab. said wall portion forming an annularcontinuation of said one rim, wherein said wall portion which forms anannular continuation of said one rim is in the form of a continuousannularly extending bevel on the wall defining said one rim.

9. A component according to claims, wherein said chamfer extendssubstantially tangentially to the annular contour of said body member.

10. A component according to claim 9, having radially outwardlyextending tab means in the form of arms, and wherein said chamfer isdefined by a contour surface facing said body member and running into achord-like bevel at'the outer peripheral region of said body member.

11. A component according to claim 1, wherein said chamfer is formed byremoving material from said body member at said transitional region.

12. A component according to claim 1, wherein said chamfer is formed bydisplacing the material of said body member at said transitional region.

13. A component according to claim 1, wherein said tab means extendradially outwardly of said body member.

14. A component according to claim 1, wherein said tab means extendradially inwardly of said body member.

15. A component according to claim 1, wherein said chamfer is formed bya crease-like bead.

1. An annular resilient component comprising an annular body memberhaving an inner and an outer wall surface of conical configuration andan annular inner and outer rim, and tab means extending from at leastone of said rims of said boDy member, said tab means and said bodymember defining therebetween a transitional region having a conicalinner wall surface portion wherein a chamfer extending transversely tosaid tab means is formed, said one of said rims defining part of saidchamfer.
 2. A component according to claim 1, wherein said chamfer isformed by a reduction of the cross section of said transitional region.3. A component according to claim 2, wherein the reduced cross-sectionof said transition region continues over the radial extent of said tabmeans such that said tab means gradually reduce in thickness in aradially inward direction.
 4. A component according to claim 1, whereinsaid chamfer is defined by an undercut section of said body member atsaid transitional region.
 5. A component according to claim 4, wherein aregion of greatest reduced cross section of said transitional regionforms a continuation of an annular contour of said body member.
 6. Acomponent according to claim 4, wherein a region of greatest reducedcross section of said transitional region is disposed radially towardsthe ends of said tab means relative to the continuation of said annularcontour of said body member.
 7. A component according to claim 1,wherein the depth of said chamfer is within the range of from 1/10 to2/3 of the thickness of the material at said transitional region.
 8. Anannularly resilient component comprising a body member having an innerand outer wall of conical configuration and an annular inner and outerrim, a tab extending generally radially from one of said rims, saidcomponent having a wall portion disposed generally at the transitionalarea between said tab and said one rim and extending generallytransversely of said tab, said wall portion forming an annularcontinuation of said one rim, wherein said wall portion which forms anannular continuation of said one rim is in the form of a continuousannularly extending bevel on the wall defining said one rim.
 9. Acomponent according to claim 5, wherein said chamfer extendssubstantially tangentially to the annular contour of said body member.10. A component according to claim 9, having radially outwardlyextending tab means in the form of arms, and wherein said chamfer isdefined by a contour surface facing said body member and running into achord-like bevel at the outer peripheral region of said body member. 11.A component according to claim 1, wherein said chamfer is formed byremoving material from said body member at said transitional region. 12.A component according to claim 1, wherein said chamfer is formed bydisplacing the material of said body member at said transitional region.13. A component according to claim 1, wherein said tab means extendradially outwardly of said body member.
 14. A component according toclaim 1, wherein said tab means extend radially inwardly of said bodymember.
 15. A component according to claim 1, wherein said chamfer isformed by a crease-like bead.